Good people need room to develop. They have to find their own voice . . . each IBMer is a businessperson working within the framework of the company structure.

Sometimes the manager must perform with the courage and agility of a circus performer, carefully crossing the highwire between short-term problems and long-term objectives.

First, there is the law. It must be obeyed. But the law is the minimum. You must act ethically.

You can't talk about leadership without talking about responsibility and accountability...you can't separate the two. A leader must delegate responsibility and provide the freedom to make decisions, and then be held accountable for the results.

At IBM everybody sells! Every employee has been trained to think that the customer comes first - everybody from the CEO, to the people in finance, to the receptionists, to those who work in manufacturing.

A real leader has the ability to motivate others to their highest level of achievement; then gives them the opportunity and the freedom to grow.

We depend on you to do the right thing; right for both you and the company. It is no exaggeration to say that IBM's reputation is in your hands.